God is...

Ps 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Last week, I wrote about how we need to keep our hope in God, not in improvements in our circumstances because they always are changing, but God is stable and does not change.  As I was meditating on this throughout the week, I was reminded of the verse above.  This scripture shows us in word pictures the stability of our God.  

God is our rock.  Literally, it means "a cleft rock," for concealment, according to Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary.  I would imagine it to be like an indentation in a rock that is large enough for a person to hide in.  Perhaps like a small cave.

God is our fortress.  The Hebrew meaning is stronghold or strong place.  A fortress is a place of protection from enemy forces.

God is our deliverer.  One of the Hebrew meanings for this is "to bring into security, bring to safety."

God is our strength.  Strength is another term for "a firm, immovable rock."  
(Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary)

God is our buckler.  Buckler could have a variety of meanings here.  One source I looked at said this: (1.) A portable shield  (2.) A shield surrounding the person;  (3.) A large shield protecting the whole body  (4.) A lance or spear.  

God is the horn of our salvation.  "The horn, as the means of attack or defense of some of the strongest animals, is a frequent emblem of power or strength efficiently exercised (compare Deuteronomy 33:17; Luke 1:69)." ( Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary)

God is our high tower.  Literally, "high place," beyond reach of danger.  Physically, we are all going to die either from old age, illness or accident.  So this verse doesn't necessarily mean God will protect us from all physical danger unless it is in His plan and will to do so.  But it does mean that when we run to Him for spiritual protection, He will keep us beyond reach of danger and will not allow our souls to be harmed.  Satan can never touch our souls if God really is our God.  He will save us and bring us to our heavenly home when our time on earth is done.

I find much comfort in knowing these things about my God.  I hope as you meditate and think on them that you too will find much comfort here.

Dear Father, After learning these things I think of the child's song I learned years ago.  

"My God is so great,
So strong and so mighty
There's nothing my God can not do!"

I give you praise for Who You are.  Amen.

Our Hope

Titus1:1 ¶ Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

When I was having a particularly difficult time I received the following encouragement from an email friend:

"We sometimes put our hope in anything that looks like an improvement because we want it so badly, and then when it doesn't happen our hopes are crushed. We need to put our hope in God who is more stable than (our circumstances), and who never changes and you can rely on..."

God often will emphasize the lessons He wants me to learn by either repeating it or expanding on it in some way. This time was no different.

The Sunday following this sage advice, our pastor spoke on the topic of "Our Eternal Hope". He expanded on the hope we have in God. Here is part of what he said:

Our hope is a living, eternally secure hope.
It was

1. Predestined by God--Ephesians 1: 4-7 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
2. Promised by God--Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; Hebrews 10:23--Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
3. Purchased by God--Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
4. Preserved by God--Philippians 1:6 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
   

Are you having a tough time lately? Are things not going the way you thought they would? Have you had a temporary improvement in circumstances only to head back downhill again? When we place our hope in God instead of improvements in our circumstances, then our joy can't be stolen when things go wrong. I know it is all easier said than done, but God will help us as we come to Him and ask for His help. He has promised grace in our weakness. We just need to lean on that grace. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Dear Father, So often I find myself getting excited over improvements in circumstances only to have my hopes crushed when things suddenly take a turn for the worst. I need Your grace and help to place my hope in You alone...my unchanging Rock and fortress. Amen.

Troubled On Every Side

2 Corinthians 4: 8 ¶ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Troubled on every side.  Perplexed.  Persecuted.  Cast down.  Are you feeling like this?  I know I have felt like this.  Looking at the other half of these statements, it says, yet not distressed, but not in despair, but not forsaken, and not destroyed.  I have to admit I do feel like I am distressed, in despair, forsaken and nearly destroyed.  Have you been there too?  

However, as I look back at those times when I have been in the pit, I see God has brought me out of it.  I see that He has shown me more of what it means to be identified with His death and that He has come through victorious in my life in the past.  

So what about the present?  My friend, if He has done it for us in the past, He will be faithful and He will bring us through it in the present as well.  

He will answer our prayers.  Maybe not always in the way that we expect, but He will give us what we need again.

Dear Father, Many are the troubles that surround us.  We thank You for Your faithfulness to us in the past and we pray that you will help us to trust You to be faithful to bring us through it now.  Amen.

Vending Machine Prayers

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

I used to think that this verse meant if I worshipped God and tried to please Him that I could pray for whatever I wanted and He would give it to me. It was kind of like putting the right coins in the vending machine and I'd get what I wanted. I couldn't understand for a long time why God didn't seem to answer my prayers. After all, I was doing all the right things.

God has given me a new perspective. Delighting myself in the Lord isn't a matter of doing all the right things to please Him. It's a matter of hungering and thirsting after Him, getting into His Word and digging for what He wants me to know and letting it change my heart. As I let His Word change my heart, His desires become my desires. While I may still pray for things that He does not give me, my prayers become different. I am praying for His will to be done, knowing that if He doesn't answer my prayers the way I might hope, I know that He is answering in the way that is best for me or others spiritually and in this way, His desires become my desires.

He is a loving Heavenly Father who desires the best for his children. He desires that we be conformed to His image in Christian character and love. His ways work best to accomplish that and often it is through our weakness that He is able to change our hearts and make us more like Him.

Dear Father, Thank You for this insight into Your ways. It's hard to remember in the heat of the battle, so remind me often of how You work. Amen.

Success

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?

Lately, I have been challenged with the question of what is true success? Our society says success is having a good job and earning lots of money, getting good grades in school, being popular, having nice cars, and homes as well as other possessions. In the arena of the church, high attendance numbers, people walking the aisle each Sunday, programs with lots of people busy keeping them going and a high profile in the community seems to be the measure of success.

What does God see as success? Success is doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with God.

Galatians 5:22-26 tells us , "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (NKJV)

Success in the church doesn't necessarily mean large attendance. A successful church is one that keeps God's word and does not deny His name. It is one that perseveres in the truth and does not compromise the truth.

Revelation 3:7-8,10 ¶ "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":

8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name... "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

The worldly idea of success is nothing like God's idea of success. God's economy is different. If we are being faithful to God, walking humbly with Him, allowing the fruit of the Spirit to develop in our lives, then we are successful in His sight.

Do you feel like you haven't done enough for God? Are you faithful to Him? Do you walk humbly with God? Do you do justice and love mercy? You are successful in His sight!

Dear Father, These thoughts have been challenging to me. There are areas that I am weak in and I need Your help to please You. Give me grace in these areas. Amen.